BOOM widget 77400Update: Shacknews can now confirm that the previously unverified bullet points are indeed correct, including the existence of multiplayer.

Original: Following this morning's brouhaha regarding fake BioShock 2 details, actual information is starting to come out as subscribers receive the latest Game Informer.

The sequel has players assuming control of "the first ever" Big Daddy, according to creative director Jordan Thomas. Players will be armed with a drill, and will also be able to upgrade their weapons and various plasmids.

As you liberate Little Sisters from other Big Daddies, you'll be able to either Harvest or Adopt them. Adoption apparently lets players escort a Little Sister around levels, fighting off splicers as the Little Sister harvests the all-powerful Adam from corpses.

The information surfaced over at the GameSpot Forums, and was backed up by blurry pictures of the article. The posters there and at NeoGAF also a provided wealth of other details, apparently coming from the same source as the pictures.

While the below details were once unconfirmed, Shacknews has since verified that all of the following information is valid. Additionally, a few points have been updated:

The game is set 10 years after the first BioShock.

There will be a multiplayer mode, but no details were given.

The Big Sister is a grown-up Little Sister, and she's hunting you.

Some levels take place on the sea floor outside of Rapture.

The Big Sister will periodically pop up after you kill enough Big Daddies. Her arrival is apparently signaled by a Little Sister singing a song.

The Big Sister is described as fast and "the hardest thing in the game." She'll utilize telekinesis to throw objects at you or use them as shields.

Your drill overheats, and cannot be used constantly.

As a Big Daddy, you'll be able to do that nifty shoulder bash move.

Upgrade trees are now more diverse.

The Incinerate plasmid allows you to throw a fireball or shoot a stream of fire, depending on upgrades.

Plasmids can now be combined. For example, mixing Incinerate and Cyclone Trap will result in a flaming trap.

Weapons and plasmids can be used at the same time.

You can now heal damaged turrets and bots.

Players will explore Fontaine Futuristics, which is where the Adam energy is harvested from Little Sisters. Through this, you will learn how the Adam is recovered.

Series creator Ken Levine is not "substantially involved" in the sequel, as he is working on the "next big game" at 2K Boston.

The 2K Marin-developed shooter sequel is set to arrive between August 1 and October 31, 2009, and is "destined" for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The company has yet to state which versions will hit by October's end.